The return of the Premier League after the March international break started in spectacular fashion when Newcastle recovered from 3-1 behind late in the second half to win 4-3 at home to West Ham in the opening game of the weekend.
Five games with implications at both ends of the table ensued in the 15:00 GMT kick-offs, with fifth-placed Tottenham the highest-positioned side involved.
Spurs hosted relegation-threatened Luton Town, while Sheffield United, Nottingham Forest, Burnley and Everton were also hoping to boost their survival bids.
The Toffees visited Bournemouth, with Chelsea hosting the Clarets, Forest welcoming Crystal Palace and the Blades facing Fulham at Bramall Lane.
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Newcastle v West Ham: Seesaw classic
The imperative was on Newcastle to win the early kick-off, starting the game four points behind seventh-placed West Ham with a game in hand.
Alexander Isak gave the Magpies the perfect start with a sixth-minute penalty but strikes by Michail Antonio, Mohammed Kudus and Jarrod Bowen looked to have put the visitors on course for a memorable victory which would have sent them level on points with sixth-placed Manchester United.
A second Isak penalty launched Newcastle’s comeback 13 minutes from time before two goals in eight minutes from substitute Harvey Barnes completed their extraordinary 4-3 win.
Barnes’ winner arrived seconds into added time, and the productive Anthony Gordon was shown a second yellow card for kicking the ball away shortly afterwards.
UNBELIEVABLEEE!!! 🤩
Harvey Barnes makes it 4-3 Newcastle! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/taq6oOePdk
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 30, 2024
Tottenham v Luton: Spurs scrape through
Spurs were looking to return to winning ways after a 3-0 defeat at Fulham before the international break, and few could have expected Luton to pose them significant problems at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Town have had a respectable season after winning promotion in 2022/23 but had only been outside of the relegation zone by virtue of Forest being deducted four points over Premier League financial rules.
Perhaps buoyed by that boost to their survival hopes, Luton took a surprise third-minute lead when Ross Barkley fed Tahith Chong to slot in the opener.
An effort from Son Heung-min shortly afterwards hit both posts but Tottenham needed a 51st-minute own goal from Issa Kabore, diverting in Brennan Johnson’s cross, to equalise.
Luton were poised for a potentially precious point until Johnson set off on a break and provided Son with the 86th-minute winner in a 2-1 victory.
160 and counting…
Son takes his place among the top five goalscorers in our history 🤍 pic.twitter.com/1DdfFzHe0m
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) March 30, 2024
Chelsea v Burnley: Ten men earn point
Mid-table Chelsea might not have expected a particularly eventful afternoon when Cole Palmer gave them a 40th-minute lead from the penalty spot after Lorenz Assignon was dismissed for the visitors.
The incident appeared to have a galvanising effect on Burnley, who levelled through Josh Cullen two minutes after the break in their pursuit of a second successive win following their 2-1 home victory over Brentford last time out.
Burnley boss Vincent Kompany was also sent off for protesting against the penalty, and the Belgian would have enjoyed Dara O’Shea’s 81st-minute equaliser, heading in three minutes after Cole Palmer had restored Chelsea’s lead to earn a 2-2 draw.
Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino claimed before this game that his side should have been fourth in the table. This result has not made that suggestion seem any more credible.
⛔️ Conceded 2+ goals in their last 5 games
😬 Led in their last 7⃣ games and lost the lead 7⃣ times10-men Burnley hold Chelsea to a draw at Stamford Bridge. pic.twitter.com/v7xLV0UA6E
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 30, 2024
Sheffield United v Fulham: Thriller at Lane
Chris Wilder’s Sheffield United have frequently resembled a side whose chances of staying in the Premier League are already extinguished, but Blades fans may have seen flickers of hope in their performance against Fulham.
Rodrigo Muniz hit the woodwork twice for the Cottagers before Ben Brereton Diaz put United ahead from Oli McBurnie’s 58th-minute cross.
Sloppy marking allowed Joao Palhinha to head the equaliser four minutes later but the hosts swiftly took control again when Brereton Diaz returned the favour for McBurnie to score.
Brereton Diaz headed in to give his side a 3-1 lead they held until the 86th minute – four minutes after a McBurnie goal was ruled out by VAR.
Bobby De Cordova-Reid brought Fulham back into the contest seconds after entering the action and, three minutes into 14 of added time, Muniz’s overhead kick earned Marco Silva’s players a 3-3 draw in sensational fashion.
Rodrigo Muniz pulled off a scissor kick goal in the 93rd-minute to rescue a point for Fulham!
The striker has now scored more Premier League goals in 2024 than any other player 👏 pic.twitter.com/FErwpady0N
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 30, 2024
Bournemouth v Everton: Sweet for Cherries
Everton had gone 105 days without a Premier League victory but went closest before the deadlock was broken at the Vitality Stadium when winger Dwight McNeil hit a post.
That counted for nothing when Dominic Solanke headed substitute Lloyd Kelly’s delivery past Jordan Pickford with 26 minutes remaining, continuing the striker’s excellent season.
Goalkeeper Neto’s clanger with fewer than four minutes of normal time remaining looked to have gifted Everton a point, Beto pouncing to capitalise.
Five seconds into added time, the Toffees came unstuck when Seamus Coleman’s own goal gave the Cherries a 2-1 win.
On his 200th @premierleague appearance for us 🙌
No other words to describe him, legend ❤️ pic.twitter.com/lbIwGXHI12
— AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) March 30, 2024
Nottingham Forest v Crystal Palace: Point apiece
Having suffered that points deduction after being denied victory at Luton by a late equaliser, the pressure has intensified on Forest to beat the drop against greater odds, although the result of their appeal could have a say in their destiny.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s record is poor since the Portuguese succeeded Steve Cooper in December and his troubles worsened when Forest gave possession away, allowing Eberechi Eze to tee up Jean-Philippe Mateta for an emphatically-hit 11th-minute opener.
Palace had several fine chances during the second half in search of a second win in four games under new manager Oliver Glasner, only for Chris Wood to head a 61st-minute equaliser from Morgan Gibbs-White’s ball.
Daniel Munoz flicked Eze’s corner against a post during stoppage time but Forest held on to move out of the bottom three on goal difference with a 1-1 draw. They are, however, still seeking a second league win of 2024.
